This was certainly a fun letter to open recently. It talks about someone far away signing up for a course here. We will let it speak for itself, but suffice to say a big THANKS to Marla for making the trip so special. Text to follow or click on the image of the letter to open the original.

November 29, 2010

Cooper Boating

1815 Mast Tower
Road

Canada
V6H 3X7

Vancouver, BC

Forest Gump made the observation that ‘«£Life is like a box of
chocolates, you never know what you‘«÷re going to get!‘«ō

Investing in a sailing experience with a company that I had no
experience presented a significant financial risk.Boarding a boat and putting my life in the
hands of an instructor/captain whom I had no knowledge presented both a
personal and emotional risk.

But if every instructor Cooper Boating employees is even
close to the outstanding caliber of Marla Hedman all risk is nullified.In August of 2010, I opened a ‘«£box of
chocolates‘«ō to have one of the best experience of my life.From the moment I stepped on board the
Polaris to the moment we returned to Granville
Island my heart was
smiling.The crew whom I had never met
composed of an Engineer, a Physician, an Attorney and CEO, and myself: a
Professor and President of a leadership consulting company, were all highly
educated professionals that knew how to have a wonderful time.

Our instructor and captain Marla Hedman was equally as
professional and enjoyable.There was
not a moment that I felt unsafe or that I did not believe that she had a keen
observation of everything happening aboard the Polaris.Marla has a wonderful manner of teaching that
allowed the crew to maximize the talents and skills each of brought on board
while giving us the opportunity to learn in a comfortable non-threatening environment.Marla is an outstanding sailor with keen
ability to both sail and teach.She is
fun, has a genuine nature, is an exceptional listener and outstanding coach,
and someone I would be glad to sail with in any sea in any condition.

Thank you Cooper Boating for realizing it takes more than
just a fine boat to make a great sailing adventure.Thank you for selecting quality instructors
like Marla Hedman.I have been on other
boats in ports in different parts of the world where the captain made the
experience a nightmare for his or her crew.This experience was just the opposite: Marla Hedman made this ‘«£Bucket
List‘«ō moment in my life perfect!

FLOTILLAS - While the word flotilla originates from a formation of warships, the only mission of the flotillas organized around BC waters is to have fun and experience this great coast in a fantastic group environment. Those who are new can draw from those who have done it before. Those who have done it before come back because it's - well - just piles of fun.

The first FLOTILLA of the 2011 season falls on Easter and the dates are April 22/23/24/25th.We have a coordinator, Marla Hedman whom you can contact for further details.

ITINERARY for EASTER CRUISE

Day One, April 22 at 0900 we depart Vancouver and our destination is Porlier Pass for 1415 hrs. Once traversing this scenic and exciting pass, navigate through the charming waterway between Reid, Norway, Mowgli and Hall Islands and set your course for Thetis Island Marina for Friday nights stay. This marina and its owners are always hospitable and the rustic shore amenities never fail to entertain! The roadways on Thetis Island are low traffic and easy hilly so for those of you that like to hike or jog, you can get more of the island experience. Have your evening meal aboard or ashore at the Thetis Island Pub. (NOTE: Subject to interest we will have groups originating from areas other than Vancouver Harbour)Day Two, April 23 starts out rather leisurely as slack water at Dodd Narrows is 1453 hrs. Sleep in or get an early start if there is a yachting challenge to participate in that day. We're on our way to Newcastle Island in the Nanaimo Harbour. This island marine park is a BIG favourite for many cruising enthusiasts and that evening we will be having a roaring bonfire near the tidal pools. Bring your favourite roasting treats and roasting sticks, too! We do not cut down anything on this island! We encourage all our musical friends to bring guitars and bongos and harmonicas and song sheets.Day Three, April 24 is EASTER BUNNY CHOCOLATE TIME! This annual event includes boat crews scouring the rock quarry for Easter Bunny "droppings", many mugs of steaming coffee and hot chocolate, peaceful gazing at the beautiful surroundings and laughter at the antics of adults becoming children again as they race to gather more chocolate than the young yuns. It is recommended to get off the docks around noon as we have approximately 21NM to travel to reach our Sunday night home: Gibsons Landing on the Sunshine Coast. Everybody loves Molly's Reach and well known foodies say that the best carrot cake on the coast can be found here. Good fish and chips, too. For those who like their seafood raw, check out the new Smitty's Oyster House on the boardwalk below the pier.

Day Four, April 25th is Monday and our destination is home. There are some hearty breakfast spots in Gibsons and there is also a fuel dock here for boats needing to top up their tanks. If you want to leave early, you can always stop at Snug Cove for lunch, anchor in Mannion Bay for a picnic or just sail for the city after a sleepy morning.Why a FLOTILLA is a good thing!

1) FLOTILLA LEADER - The flotilla leader is there as a resource - available on the VHF and by phone. Your fearless leader will keep an eye on the group like a shepherd tending their herd. They are also there to help make sure your anchor is well set, grab a line and give a pointer when you are docking. Flotilla leaders are generally available when you need some assistance. They will also organize some of the shore side activities normally associated with these events. 2) BASIC TRIP PLAN - While we have adjusted basic plans from time to time because of weather, there will be some great destinations along with that old adage - more than half the fun is just getting there.3) BRIEFING - Before departing, the flotilla leader will brief skippers and everyone interested on the route, destinations, navigational considerations, timing and a review of the most recent weather information. For those who are new - think of this as cruising with the training wheels still on!4) GREAT PEOPLE - From beginner to expert, flotillas attract a wide range of experience and mixing this allows for great learning and mentorship. If you enjoy new experiences and meeting new folks - you're one of those great people welcome to join the next flotilla!5) FLAVOUR - There's usually some theme to the flotilla that - a treasure hunt at Easter, a jazz festival in the fall... a cool potluck dinner between great friends to wrap up the season each year in November - each flotilla has a flavour to allow you to pick your favourite!6) TRAINING BOAT- there is always a CYA instructor or two or three ready to mentor sailors on their first big cruising experience.7) CREW FIND MEETING - join the flotilla leader to meet new and old friends to discuss sailing and boating plans. FEBRUARY 27th, Sunday afternoon at 5PM on Granville Island at the classroom of the Cooper Boating. 1815 Mast Tower Road

The first of two Dufour 425's arrived very, very early this morning at Granville Island. Arista is destined for the Vancouver charter fleet and features some of the coolest items we've yet offered in the charter fleet. In addition to a propellor that looks more like of a work of art than a working piece of equipment, Arista is the first boat we've ever offered with a retractable bow thruster - that's right, a bow thruster that sucks itself back up into the hull to make an incredibly easy boat to dock with no sacrifice to sailing performance.

Being that Granville Island is not always the easiest place to dock, we're sure this feature will be a hit! Book today to avoid disappointment.